hanlon



(No Model.) ,4 Sheets-Sheet 1.

J. HANLON. APPARATUS FOR THE MANUFACTURE OF GAS. No. 418,018. Patented Dec. 24, 1889.

WITNESSES: m/ l/E/VTOI? i *W Arm/my N, PETERS. Pholn-Lilhogrnpher. Wnsh mzmn. D. C

(No Mod m 4 sheets-Sheena.

J. HANLON, APPARATUS FOR THE MANUFACTURE 01? GAS.

No. 418,018. Patented Dec. 24, 1889.

A *ie H ATTORNEY WITNESSES.

N. PETERS. Phom-Lnhcmphen Wash-mgwn, n. c.

(No Model.) 4 Sheets-Sheet 3.

J. HAN LON. APPARATUS FOR THE MANUFACTURE OF GAS. No. 418,018. Patented Dec. 24, 1889.

WITNESSES: VE/VTOR W U fib N. PEIERS. Fholwlilhgmphar. Wnhingtan, D. Q

(No Model.)

' 4 Sheets-Sheet 4. J. HANLON.

APPARATUS FOR THE MANUFACTURE OF GAS. No. 418,018. Patented Dec. 24, 18189.

g Q I I W/T/VESSES: I/VVE/VTOI? T TOR/V5 Y N. PETERS. Pholo-Lilhogmpher. Vlnnhinglnn. n. a

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

J OIIN HANLON, OF NEWV YORK, N. Y.

'APPARATUS FOR THE MANUFACTURE OF GAS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 418,018, dated December 24, 1889.

Application filed April 13, 1889. Serial No. 307,160. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, JOHN HANLON, a citizen of the United States, residing at New York city, in the county of New York and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Apparatus for Mannfacturing Gas; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to apparatus for manufacturing illuminating-gas by generating water-gas in a bed of incandescent fuel, and at the same time vaporizing heavy hydrocarbon oil and, by means of the resulting vapor carbureting and enriching the watergas in a heated retort or retorts, and then combining and fixing the mixed gas and vapor in a heated fixing-chamber which has been previously heated by waste gaseous products from the water-gas generator, whereby a fixed gas of high candle-power is produced.

The object of my invention is to provide a simple operating apparatus by means of which heavy hydrocarbon oil can be economically vaporized and converted into gas and combined with water-gas to form an illuminatinggas of the required quality and candle-power. I provide duplicate watergasgenerating furnaces and fixing-chambers, so that water-gas may be generated continuously and passed with a continuous stream of oilvapor into a carbureting and mixing retort or retorts, and so that the oarbureted watergas may be passed continuously through a fixing-chamber, one of the fixing-chambers being constantly in use for fixing the gas. One watergas-generating furnace and one fixing-chamber are heated up while the other water-gas generating furnace and fixingchamber are being used for generating watergas and for fixing the carbureted water-gas. The hydrocarbon oil is continuously vaporized by passage through a heated coil of pipe arranged in the furnace of the carburetingretort, and the vapor is continuously supplied to the carbureting-retort together with a continuous stream of water-gas from either one or the other of the water-gas-generating furnaces. I am thus enabled to generate illuminating-gas Very rapidly.

Any heavy hydrocarbon oil-such as crude petroleum-by being vaporized according to my invention and supplied to a carburetingretort with water-gas, can be successfully used in manufacturing illuminating-gas.

The matter constituting my invention will be defined in the claims.

My invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 represents a vertical section through one of the water-gas-generating furnaces and fixing-chambers. Fig. 2 represents a front elevation of the apparatus with the generating-chambers partly in section. I Fig. 3 represents a general plan view of the apparatus with parts of the generating-furnaces broken away. Fig. i represents a vertical transverse section of the retort-furnace, retort, and vaporizing-coils. Fig. 5 represents a vertical longitudinal section of the same parts shown in Fig. 4.

As shown in the drawings, Figs. 2 and 3, I provide two watergasgenerating furnaces A A and two fixing-chambers O G, and between these parts I connect the carbureting and mixing retort D, properly connected at the front end on each side with the generating-furnaces and at thevrear end on each side with the fixing-chambers, so that water-gas can be conveniently conducted from either generating-chamber into the carbureting-retort, and so that the carbureted water-gas can be conveniently conducted from the carbureting-retort into either fixing-chamber. The generating and fixing chambers and the 0011- necting steam-superheating chambers are constructed of brick and are covered with tight iron jackets in the usual manner. Each generating-chamber is provided with a grate and ash-pit at the bottom, and each has the usual fuel-opening closed by a lid a at the top, and the usual ash-opening closed by a door a at the bottom. Both sets of generat ing-chambers and fixing-chambers are connected alike, and I will now describe the parts and their connections as shown in Fig. 1.

The generating-furnace A is. connected at the top by pipe M with the upper portion of when starting a fire in generator A. In chamber B, I arrange a number of vertical tiles 1),

for absorbingheat from the gaseous products 1 into the chimney.

to be subsequently utilized in superheating steam. A steam-supply pipe S, having valve 3, connects with each of the pipes N and N. The fixing-chamber G is provided at the base with an opening closed by lid 0, and at the top with a short stack or neck closed by lid 0. Chamber C is also provided near the bottom with an open brick arch for supporting the usual brick checker-work above. Airblast pipes V and V, having valves '0 and e, connect with the base of each fuel and generating chamber, and similar air-blast pipes V" and V, having valves 0" and 0/, connect with the bases of the fixing-chambers. Gasescape pipes R and R lead from the tops of fixing-chambers O and G into the seal-boxes T and T, as shown in Figs. 2 and 3, and pipes U and-U conduct gas from such seal-boxes to the washer or scrubber.

The retort -furnace W is preferably arranged,as shown, between the two generating furnaces. It is constructed with the usual grate, fire-box, and flues around the retort, and is provided with a double arch, forming a chamber H. The vaporizing-coil E, having supply-pipes e, is arranged in chamber H, and connects at the front, by short pipe f, with pipe P, opening into the retort. The usual smoke-stack w rises from the rear of the furnace and is provided with a damper w. Openings controlled by dampers may lead from the combustiorrchamber into chamber H for passing hot products around the oil-vaporizing coil, if desired. One or more fiues may also lead from chamber I-l Either the inlet or outlet fiues of chamber H may be provided with cont'rolling-dampers.

The retort D, provided with mouth-piece and a closing-lid d cl at each end, is set in the furnace 1n the usual manner.

The retort is provided with a horizontal partition h, extending from its front end above its middle back to near its rear end; also with a similar partition h, extending from its rear end fora ward a short distance below partition 72, so as to form a circuitous passage, as shown in Fig. 5. A large pipe P extends a short distance from the top of the retort, and has connecting with it on each side the pipes-O O, leading from the base of the two fuel and generating chambers A A, as shown in Figs.

base of each fixing-chamber O C, as shown in Figs. 1 and 3.

Instead of using one large retort, as shown, I may use two or more retorts, in practice, sufficient to properly take care of the watergas that is generated in the chambers A A.

The oil-supply pipes e in practice connect with an elevated oil-reservoir, and suitable pressure-gages and regulating devices are used to feed a uniform stream of oil into the vaporizing-coil.

The operationis conducted as follows: Fires are kindled in both generating-furnaces and also in the retort-furnace. After the fuel is Well ignited in the generating-chambers the airblasts are admitted and fuel gradually fed in till deep bodies thereof are heated to incandescence. Before starting fires in the generators valves n 'n in pipes N N and caps c at the top of chambers O O are opened. Caps 00 may also be opened at first to permit the-fires to burn better by natural draft. lVhen combustible gaseous products are given off from the beds of fuel, caps x are closed,

and such gaseous products are conducted into,

the properincandescence and the fixing-chambers properly heated the air-blasts are shut off, valve n and cap 0 are closed, valves 0 and q are opened, and the manufacture of gas may now be commenced. Steam is admitted by pipe 8 and passed through chamber B, where it is superheated, thence through pipe M into the top of chamber A, where it is decomposed by passage down through the fuel, and the resulting water-gas passes by pipe 0 and pipe P into retort D. Immediately after the admission of steam, as described, oilis admitted into thevaporizing-coil E, where it is vaporized, and the resulting vapor escapes through pipef into pipe P, where it meets the inflowing water-gas and is carried thereby into retort D. The heated water-gas and oil-vapors are intimately mixed together and combined by passage back and forth through the retort in contact with the partition-plates. They are highly heated and expanded, so that when passed into the fixing-chamber they are quick- 1y converted into fixed gas. The carbureted water-gas flows from retort D, through pipe Q, into the base of the fixing-chamber 0. (See Fig. 1.) In passing up through fixing-chamber O the hydrocarbon vapor or gas and water-gas are thoroughly converted into a fixed gas. The operation is thus conducted till the heat of the fuel in chamber A is too much lowered to properly decompose steam, and then the supply of steam is shut off. Valve 72 and cap 0' are opened, and valves 0 and q are IIO closed, thus shutting off generator A and fixing-chamber C from the retort. The fuel in generator A and the fixing-chamber are now heated up by the admission of blasts of air for the combustion of fuel and the gaseous products, as before described. As soon as steam is shut off from generator A the valves and caps of generator A and fixing-chamber C are properly adjusted for making watergas, and steam is admitted into the superheater B, and thence passed into the top of generator A, where it is decomposed, as previously described with reference to generator A. Of course when using generator A valve n is closed and the valves 0 and p are opened. 'Water-gas is thus supplied to the retort D, where it is carbureted, as before explained, and the resulting carbureted gas is passed by pipe Q into chamber 0, Where it is combined and fixed, as before described With reference to chamber 0. In practice the valves will be so manipulated and the operation so conducted that as soon as the flow of water-gas from one generator is stopped it is started from the other generator, so that there shall be a continuous stream of water-gas flowing into the carbureting-retort D, whereby a uniform temperature may be readily maintained in the retort, the constant flow of gas through it maintained, and a uniform product produced.

From the foregoing it will be understood that the water-gas generator and fixing-chamber are alternately heated up and used for generating and fixing gas, and are so operated that a continuous stream of Water-gas is being passed into carbureting-retort D. Retort D is maintained only at a moderate temperature, so that the hydrocarbon vapor andv water-gas may be thoroughly mixed without danger of being burned before entering the fixing-chamber. The fixing-chambers will be heated to the proper temperature for thoroughly fixing the oarbureted gas. If desired, a regulating-holder may be used for the water-gas which is supplied to retort D.

\Vhere only a small apparatus is desired, the carbureting-retort may be used, as described, with one generating-furnace and one fixing-chamber, and the generation of gas could be then conducted intermittently. A pipe for carbureted Water-gas may lead di- 1 rectly from the retort to a place of use.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. In combination with a Watergas-generating furnace, the steamsuperheating cham her and fixing-chamber, connectlng, as described, the carburetingq-etort, having means for supplying it with hydrocarbon vapor, a valved pipe connecting such retort with the water-gas generator, and a valved pipe connecting such retort with the base of the fixingchamber, as and for the purpose described.

2. The water-gas-generating furnace, the steam-superheating chamber and the gas-fixing chamber, a pipe connecting the top of the generating-furnace with the top of the superheating-chamber, and a valved pipe connectin g the base of the superheating-chamber with the base of the fixing-chamber, and a steamsupply pipe connecting with the base of the superheating-chamber, in combination with the carbureting-retort set in the furnace and having hydrocarbon-supply pipe and a Watergas-supply pipe connecting the base of the generating-furnace with such carbureting-retort, as and for the purpose described.

3. The carbureting and mixing retort suitably set in a furnace, and an oil-vaporizing coil arranged in the arch of the furnace and connecting with a short gas-pipe leading into the retort, in combination with a water-gasgenerating furnace, and a valved pipe connecting such furnace with the short gas-pipe of the retort near the connection of the oil vaporizing coil, whereby hot water-gas and oilvapor may be passed together into the carbureting-retort, as described.

4t. In a gas-generating apparatus, a carbureting-retort set in a furnace and having a supply-pipe for water-gas and hydrocarbon vapor at one end and an outlet-pipe at the other end, in combination with an oil-vaporizing coil set in the arch of the furnace and connecting with the retort, as and for the purpose described.

5. The combination of two water-gas-generating furnaces, two fixing-chambers, carbureting and mixing retorts, valved pipes connecting the generating-furnaces with the fixing-chambers, valved pipes connecting both of the generatingfurnaces with the retorts, and valved pipes connecting bot-h of the fixing-chambers with such retorts, whereby water-gas may be continuously generated, carbureted, and fixed, as described.

6. In combination with two water-gas-generating furnaces, the carbureting-retort set in a furnace, an oil-vaporizing coil also arranged in the furnace and connecting with the inlet gas-pipe of the retort, and valved gassupply pipes connecting the 'two generating-furnaces with said inlet-pipe of the retort near the vapor-supply pipe, whereby a continuous stream of hot water-gas and oil-vapor may be conducted into the heated retort, as described.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

JOHN HANLON. Witnesses:

FRANKLIN A. STEMMLER, F. W. SEMKEN. 

